Scar
by LjBullets
Summary: The most dangerous type of person is one with nothing to lose, who plays with fire and enjoys danger.  Sometimes you have to lose everything before you learn to fight back.  CHAPTERS UP! Violence, language, dark themes.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** I like this idea, even if I do say so myself. :) Don't forget to review :)

**I own Jumper. Yes, I absolutely, most certainly am the owner and creator of Jumper. If I tell myself that enough, it may actually come true.**

**Ha, I wish.**

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**_Prologue_**

It's raining.

I know he wants to just kill the kid, get it over with, but the kid is our only bargaining chip. If he ever wants to see her again, he has to let this happen.

'I'm making the call,' I tell him, and he grunts. The kid is sitting – no, _cowering_ – in the corner, the rope still around his wrists and ankles. He knows not to make a sound, because he was told that his throat would be ripped out if he made a sound. He's learned fast, that kid. I grab his arm lightly, and jump.

We land in a small studio apartment in the centre of Paris, and I let go of the kid. He pushes himself away from me, and I want to tell him that it's okay, that I'm not the one he should be scared of. But he's eleven, and I know that if he starts to get confident, we could have a huge problem.

I scroll through the address book in the phone, until I find the number that says "Dad". My finger hovers over the green phone before I take a deep breath, and press it. He answers almost instantly.

'Tyler?'

I know that voice well – too well, actually. It's the same voice that haunts me in my dreams, chases me down dark alleys, follows me through my jump scars. The voice that means a quarter-blade machete wrapped in cloth, and a hell of a lot of pain. Yeah, I know that voice.

Hearing that voice, and knowing who it belongs to and what he's doen, makes it a little easier to do what I know has to be done.

'He's alive, for now,' I state coldly. I really want to detach myself from my emotions, but it's not exactly easy, 'Melissa Swanbourne, know the name?'

He pauses on the other end of the line. 'Who is this?'

'This'll go a whole lot easier if you answer _my_ questions. Does the name Melissa Swanbourne mean anything to you?'

Another pause, then, 'We're holding her and her family, for questioning.'

I let out a mirthless laugh, 'I know your methods of questioning, Roland. A better word for that would be torture.'

'Where is Tyler?'

'He's here,' I reply, and turn to the kid, 'Say something to daddy, little Tyler. You've got two minutes to say whatever the hell you want.' I turn on the speakerphone, and hold it between us. The kid looks at me, as if unsure I'm telling him the truth. I nod at the phone.

'Tyler?'

'Dad, yeah, I'm here,' the kid sounds almost anxious, and he leans forward, as if being closer to the phone will make him closer to his father, 'Dad, they're Jumpers, and one of them's a crazy British guy—'

'Where are you?'

'I don't know. The younger one jumped me here when he was making the call. It's a studio apartment, I think.'

'Can you see anything out the window?'

'By the time you get here, they'll be gone!'

'Have they done anything to you?' Roland sounds anxious, like he has to see his son, to know his son is okay. It's impossible to match the image of the black guy with white hair, unwrapping a quarter-blade machete in front of me with this voice I hear on the phone.

'No, they just have me tied up. The British guy wants to kill me, but the younger guy won't let him. He makes sure I get fed and everything; he's a lot nicer than the Brit.'

'They haven't hurt you, or drugged you or anything?'

'No, Dad,'

'What do they look like? Do they use their names around you? Do you know where they're keeping you?'

'I'll discuss who we are later, Roland,' I say loudly, 'Just talk to your son while you have the chance.'

'Tyler?'

'They live in some sort of cave thing. It doesn't have any way in, you have to jump in there. I don't know where it is.'

'Okay, son, I'll get you out of this, I promise.'

'Dad, don't do anything stupid. The British guy just wants an excuse to hurt me—'

I cut the kid off by switching off the speakerphone. 'Time's up, Roland,' I state into the handset. Just to be on the safe side, I grab the kid's arm again, and jump. This time, we're in the middle of Tokyo, in another of my apartments. 'We've moved again, so don't bother trying to triangulate the call.'

'What do you want? Who are you?'

'Roland Cox, we are Jumpers. We have your eleven-year-old son. Right now, you are going to do exactly what we want you to do.'

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	2. It Starts Now

_Maybe because I'm new, but I haven't found many guy Jumper fics yet. Most of them are girls. So, here's my take on a guy's POV._

_Thankyou and ILY to Cousin Leisa, who lets me steal her computer because mine's an asshole._

_I eat reviews for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don't make me starve :)_

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**_It Starts Now_**

Keish started telling the joke, and Tommy cut in with the punch line. As always, the entire group laughed as we wandered along the street. It was always the same; meet for maccas, swap assignments so we can copy off each others', and then walk home. That was how we lived our Tuesdays. Occasionally, we'd meet at KFC, or maybe someplace like Hungry Jack's or maybe even Subway. The manager or the clerks would always glare suspiciously at us.

We always got bad attention, just because we all wore jeans and hoodies. Jason always had his hood pulled right forward, and Alex kept his hands in his jacket pockets. It probably _did_ look to store clerks as though we were up to no good, but we were a great bunch.

Were.

'This is me,' I stated, as we paused out the front of a small suburban house. We all lived on the same street, at numbers twelve, fourteen, seventeen and twenty-two, The Avenue. No joke, that's the actual name of the street. The Avenue; creative, huh?

Tommy lived next door to me, and I knew my folks would be in the font room. Even if I could slip through the front door silently, they'd still hear me. The windows also looked out over the front yard, which meant I had to sneak around through Tommy's yard and jump the fence.

'Yeah, I'll need to chaperone him,' Tommy whispered to Keish, and rolled her eyes, 'Boys, huh?'

Keish and Tommy giggled, looking at me as they hid their mouths behind their hands. Tommy could be such a girly-girl sometimes, but she often wore guys' baggy jeans and boys' hoodies, and loved all the stuff guys her age were into. I couldn't ever recall seeing her wear a skirt or a dress, not even at primary school graduation.

'See ya t'morra?' Jason asked, nudging me.

'We got school, idiot,' I turned to follow Tommy as she led the way through her jungle of a front yard, ''Course you'll see me "t'morra",' I mimicked his broad accent. Jason had moved here a year back with his cousin, coming from some station way out in SA, about five or six hours from Adelaide.

Tommy was holding open her back gate, so I could follow her through. I heard the others disappearing up the street, and wished I didn't have to sneak in like this.

'Cheers,' I ruffled Tommy on her head as I climbed up the fence. There were three cross beams along it, but none on my side. It was a drop to the ground, which was rocks and dirt on this side of the house.

'Ciao,' Tommy grinned as I scaled the fence easily. I waved as I dropped over, landing softly on the gravel. My bedroom window was one of those wind-out ones, and when it was fully open, I could barely squeeze through it. I slipped under it, and eased the flyscreen off, so I could slip inside.

The screen came off with a snapping sound, not loud enough to alert the folks, though. I paused, making sure, before I pulled myself in over the ledge, catching my bag in the bottom of the window. I tugged the strap and it came free, though, and I fell softly onto my bed. I pulled the fly screen back into position, wincing as it snapped loudly.

It was that moment that I stopped. Hadn't I left the music on? Told them I was going to bed and left the music on, so they wouldn't come in? I was sure I'd left the music on, but it wasn't on anymore.

Gently, I eased my door open, and looked out into the hallway. The light was on in the kitchen, and in the lounge room, but no where else. Cautiously, I stepped forward, out into the hallway, walking towards the doorway that led into the lounge room.

I froze as I heard a knock at the door. It was nearly nine; who would be calling this late?

Mum got up to answer it, and I poked my head around the corner. I could see her back, and a shadowy figure as the door was opened. Mum was smart, though, didn't open the screen door.

'Hi, sorry I'm calling by so late,' it was a man's voice, with a faint British accent. Kent, I think it was. 'I'm Mark Daniels, Jake's biology teacher.'

No, he wasn't. My biology teacher was Mrs Gumpter. Actually, I didn't have _any_ teacher by the name Daniels.

'I'm here to speak with you about Jake, is he anywhere around?'

'Uh, no, he went out. We think he's with friends.' Mum was never a convincing liar, but she didn't seem convincing when she told the truth, either.

'Do you mind if I come in? It's freezing out here.'

'Oh, yes, of course.' Mum unlocked the screen door and held it open. Something in me wanted to rush out and stop her, some sort of animal instinct, but I stayed rooted to the spot, barely able to move.

'Oh, you've got company?' Mum had spotted something out on the street, and the man nodded. 'Just my brother, but he can wait in the car.'

'No, no. He's welcome to come in, too.' It was Dad who said this. My stupid parents, so trusting. Of course they'd invite two complete strangers inside to talk to them. Idiots.

'Where did you say your son was?' Daniels asked. He had his back to me, and Mum was looking at him. She hadn't seen me yet, thankfully. Something about these guys made me want to run and crawl under a rock, to hide.

_No, don't picture it, not now, that might be what they're after._

I concentrated on breathing, calming myself.

'Well, we thought he was in bed, he said he wanted to go to bed early, but when I looked in before, he wasn't there.'

'I don't believe you.' Daniels stated. Mum raised her eyebrows.

'I'm sorry?'

'You're lying. Where is he? Why are you protecting him?'

Dad was on his feet now; I could see his shadow as he started out into the hallway, 'Because we don't believe you are who you say you a—'

Dad's words were cut off, and Mum screamed as I closed my eyes. The image wouldn't go away, though. Dad was speaking, glaring suspiciously at the guy, and a hand had flashed out quickly, a small flash of silver, and a thin red line had appeared at Dad's throat, which had quickly turned into a red waterfall.

'I'll give you one more chance,' Daniels stated, now towering over Mum, '_Where is he_?'

'Get out!' mum screamed. I knew she wasn't talking to Daniels, or the other two men that had just appeared, 'Just get out!'

She knew I was here, and she hadn't given me up. And now she was telling me to get out.

I ran into the bedroom and grabbed the first heavy thing that my hand touched. An alarm clock, good. I then pictured the dining room, directly in line with the Daniels bloke.

I was there, and I hurled the alarm clock without hesitating. It flew through the air and hit the man's shoulder as he whirled around, but I was already gone, moving to stand behind him, in the middle of the three. I lashed out with my foot, in a perfect round kick, but the man blocked it easily, garabbing my foot and twisting it.

I jumped to the lounge room, sending papers off the coffee table flying everywhere, and dived as they fired something at me.

_Mum_.

I jumped back to my room, looking around for my softball bat. I was the only kid who had a titanium bat, the same one my Mum used to use. It had enought weight behind it to knock a man out stone cold.

That's exactly what I was planning to do.

I jumped back to the hallway, and swung the bat. But I slipped in something, and as the bat connected, I fell to the ground.

Mum stared at me, with cold, empty eyes. Dead eyes.

It was blood. I'd slipped in blood. It was all over my jeans, my jacket, my hands. I looked up as one of the men said something, my brain not quite catching up. Mum's eyes...

The first guy, Daniels, had a knife in his hand, and he twisted so fast that I barely had time to dodge. I saw the flash as he jerked it back, and closed my eyes, picturing the place.

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'_This is your safe place,' Mum stated. I looked around, staring at the trees around us._

'_What if the trucks find us?'_

'_The trucks won't find us, not up here,' she grinned, white teeth flashing, 'I know they won't, because I'm your mother. I know everything.'_

_I looked around the bush. We were somewhere up in the mountain range, about an hour from home. Mum had brought me here for a reason._

'_So, what do I do with this place?'_

_Mum crouched beside me, and took hold of my hand. I was eight, old enough to understand._

'_If ever you feel in danger, like someone is going to try and hurt you, and we're not there to help, you come here, okay? It's too far from everything; no one will find you here. You'll be safe.'_

'_But you'll always be around, won't you?'_

_Mum smiled sadly._

I was surrounded by trees, soaked in blood and screaming at the sky.

'_You'll always be around, won't you?'_

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Let's just say its up to you,

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	3. Home Invasions

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**Let's all bow down to Stephen Gould, the genius behind the Jumper idea :)**

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_**Home Invasions**_

Even as a kid, I'd always stuck by the maxim "Boys don't cry." It was true enough, for me, anyway. I didn't cry that night, just screamed and yelled, and lashed out at the trees around me, hitting the bark.

I don't know how long it took, but eventually, I stopped. Bleeding knuckles, sore throat, and tired from the exertion, I just collapsed into a heap on the ground, and pulled myself into a ball.

_Mum...Dad..._

They were both gone. But they couldn't be gone. It had all happened so fast, maybe they had survived, somehow; maybe the guys that had shown up had been too hasty, had missed whatever artery they had been aiming for.

Tommy lived next door; maybe she'd heard something, and shown up to see if everything was okay. It was a comforting thought, for a moment.

Just a moment, though.

If they had been watching me, they knew about all of my friends. They would know where my friends all lived, and they would know how close we were as a group. Especially me and Tommy.

_Crap!_

I jumped back to the street. I realised it was after eleven, as I checked my watch, and the entire street looked dark and foreboding. Scary.

I was across the road from my own house, and I tried to ignore the dark windows. Obviously, the freaks had turned the lights off when I had taken off. But Tommy's house was also dark. My guts twisted into a knot as I saw the seemingly empty windows. I knew that Reagan, Tommy's dad, usually stayed up until well after one in the morning. He had a home business, and got the most business from people overseas, who were awake when Australia was asleep.

You don't really understand fear until you see your best friend's house seemingly dark and empty. It looked dead, literally.

I stopped at the front door, taking a deep breath. That's when I saw it. It was so tiny, almost insignificant, but my eyes were drawn to it, like a paperclip to a magnet.

A smear of blood on the door knob.

I didn't stop. I turned the door handle, surprised that the door was unlocked. Was I really surprised? No, I don't think so. I sort of expected this to have happened.

'Tommy? Mr. Morris?' I ran from the lounge room to the kitchen, and slipped, falling backwards, like I did two hours ago at home.

Mr. Morris stared at me. Well, technically, his head stared at me. His body was nowhere in sight, just his head, and part of his neck.

I'd seen plenty of horror movies, and gruesome flicks, but none of them ever really prepare you for _that_.

I felt faint, like I was going to pass out, but I pushed it away, and pulled myself up. More blood on my clothes, I thought dully.

At least I found his body. It was just around the corner of the bench, just out of sight. From the look of it, he'd been on the ground when they'd...

Alyss.

Tommy had an eight-year-old little sister with brown curly hair, who _idolised_ both Tommy and me. I don't know why she liked me so much, maybe because I used to look after her when Tommy and Mr. Morris went to visit Tommy's mother, in the city. Alyss was never allowed to go, because Mr. Morris had always been worried she wouldn't be able to handle seeing her mother locked up in a straightjacket.

'Alyss!' I ran through the dining room, trying to push Mr. Morris from my mind. 'Alyss! It's me, it's Jake!'

I stopped in the doorway to her room.

During Mum's pregnancy with me, there was this problem. They fixed it, but it meant she would never be able to have kids again. I grew up, dreaming of having a younger brother or sister, someone I could be a mentor to, someone I could have as my side kick. When we moved up here, I found that in Alyss.

As soon as I saw the blood, I'm pretty sure my heart broke.

'No,' someone was saying it, saying it over and over again; as if it would fix everything, make it all better. But I knew it wouldn't. It took me a moment to realise _I_ was the one saying it.

I knew, at that moment, that I wasn't going to find Tommy. Not alive, anyway.

'Don't move!'

The voice was shaky, frightened, and sounded young. I turned to look down the hallway, staring at the kid with the baton-thing in his hands. He held it like a gun, aimed at me, but his hands were shaking. The entire kid was shaking.

'Did you do this?' I asked softly. I don't know why, it just sort of slipped out, 'Did you kill an eight-year-old kid in her bed while she slept?'

The kid – he looked about my age – flinched, the baton still aimed at me. He looked on the verge of tears.

'They made me come with them,' he choked out, 'I thought it would just be an adult, and they would try to keep me away, make sure I was safe. But they took me here, instead, made me watch...' he trailed off, taking a deep, shaky breath. The tears started to spill, 'I didn't know there'd be so much blood, I didn't know they'd... a little kid!'

I saw red. This kid had stood by and watched as they had killed Alyss. My little sister. And he'd just watched.

I wanted to jump him to Sydney, leave him on top of the Harbour Bridge, but it didn't seem fitting enough. And there was still the question of Tommy.

'There was another girl here. Is she...?'

I couldn't say it. I closed my eyes – probably not the best idea when an unstable kid is pointing a weapon at you – and took a few deep breaths. I had to stay calm. There was every chance they hadn't... done _that_ to Tommy.

'One of the other guys, Dawes, he carried her out, took her away.'

'Where did they go?'

The kid hesitated. He was starting to get a little more confidence, and I realised I was going to have to fight my way out if I didn't scare him. But I decided to let my anger get the better of me.

'_Where did they go?_' I jumped behind him and grabbed his collar, pressing him up against the wall, his back to me. The baton thing fell to the ground, and he grunted as he slammed against the wall. I wanted to hurt him badly. He was involved in this; he was part of the same people that had killed my Mum, my Dad, Alyss...

'I swear, I don't know!' he was crying, now, probably scared shitless that I'd surprised him so suddenly, 'I swear to Christ, I don't know. If I knew, I'd tell you, I swear. Please, just-just let me go!' he sobbed. I grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked at it, then let him fall to the ground. I picked up the baton thing he'd had.

'What's this?'

'Cable,' the kid replied, crawling backwards on all fours, until he hit the wall, 'It-it shoots out a long cable that wraps around stuff, like a whip. Then it sends a heap of electricity down the cable.'

'Why electricity?'

The kid hesitated, until I pointed the cable at him. He got the message. 'Jumpers – that's what you are – can handle a lot of volts, more than a normal person, but it shocks the hell out of them. Like a taser, or cattle prod.'

That made sense. When I was five, I'd stuck a fork into the toaster, to try and fish out a piece of toast. I got one hell of a shock, but I wasn't electrocuted. Mum said it was because I was different.

'So, I'm a Jumper,' I turned the stick over in my hand, and noticed that it had a detachable bit, 'What's that for?'

'Take the case off, you can use it as a knife, or stick it into the ground or walls. Stop Jumpers going anywhere.'

I nodded, slowly. 'If I'm a Jumper, what are you?'

The kid hesitated, then swallowed. 'Paladin, I guess. But I'm no good at it.'

'You're tellin' me.'

I twirled the stick in my hand for a moment, then realised my other friends. 'Where are they all now? They didn't just leave you to guard this place alone, did they?'

The kid – the Paladin – shook his head. 'They went further up the street. Mentioned Alex... something—'

I didn't hear the rest.

Alex lived about five houses down the road. I didn't have to walk, I knew it too well. He was another member of my makeshift family, the one that played the twin brother.

I landed in his family's lounge room, papers swirling all around me. I heard someone yell, 'What the fuck?' and a woman screamed.

I was facing the front window, and I saw dark shapes flicker past, running for the door.

I was too late.

'Jake?' someone cried, and I whirled around. Alex's parents were in their usual seats, in front of the telly, and Alex appeared in the doorway, his mouth wide open.

'Alex! Get down!'

I don't know why I shouted it – maybe it was instinctive – but Alex listened, and dropped to the floor as the front door flew open.

I jumped to his side, and grabbed his shirt. I'd never actually done it with someone before, but it couldn't be much harder than jumping myself, could it?

We hit the ground in the forest with a thud, leaves blowing up all around us.

'What the _fuck_?'

I stood up quickly, looking at Alex, to see if I'd left any of him behind. He looked okay, just really shaken. 'What the _fuck_ just happened?'

'Alex, I need you to stay here, okay?' I didn't wait for an answer, just jumped back to his house.

I knew, the instant I arrived, that I was too late. It could have been the busted light; it could have been the blood...

Or it could have been the speed with which the four men wheeled around, bringing up more cable things to point at me. I jumped again, returning to the forest.

'Jake! What the hell is—'

I didn't hear the rest of Alex's question, because something seemed to wrap around my middle, and I felt a pulse of electricity shoot through the cable. I screamed in pain as blue lightning crackled behind my eyes, and I felt myself being pulled back, to Alex's living room.

Hands grabbed my arms, holding me there, though. Alex! Why wasn't it hurting him? Was he like me?

I couldn't help it, as another cable appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around my shoulders. I screamed, letting the cry fall out. Light was burning behind my eyelids, and I could feel the cables tightening, pulling me back, dragging me...

I tumbled forwards suddenly, landing on top of Alex as he fell backwards. The cables were still there, wrapped around my shoulders and midriff, but they trailed about a metre before they ended.

I didn't really give a shit as to how long the cables were. All that mattered was that they'd stopped shocking me.

Alex managed to push me off him, and he grabbed the cables, pulling them off me. I was gasping for breath, and I realised I was sweating. I groaned, feeling the burns on my skin, where the cables had gotten through my clothes. I wondered if they would scar.

It's funny, how your mind works in times of crisis. I'd just lost my parents, my closest friend, my almost-little sister, and been hurt, maybe even come close to death. But I wasn't thinking about any of it; I was wondering if I got a scar, and if it would impress girls.

I was in shock.

See, there's only so much your body and mind can take before it shuts down. When you hear stories of injured people in warzones doing amazing things, that's usually the adrenaline that keeps them going. The shock shuts out the pain, lets them deal with whatever situation they're in, and the adrenaline keeps them conscious.

You don't know when you're going into shock, because it comes in so many different forms. There's shock, like when you see someone you love, who has been killed. That kind clouds everything out, and the world seems to stop. Seconds become eternities, until you drag yourself back to the present. Then there's pain shock and adrenaline shock. Pain shock is when your nerve centres seem to shut down, and you can't feel the pain. That's when you don't even realise how bad your injuries are, when they just feel like a tiny scratch.

Then there's adrenaline shock, where you are focused on the moment, and on what needs to be done. Your body shuts out the pain because it can't deal with that right now, there's too much else at stake. That's when you hear the stories of amazing courage, bravery, and heroism from places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

I didn't know then, but I do now; I went into the adrenaline shock. I still had Keish and Jason left, and they were going to need me. Very soon, too.

'I'll be back,' I told Alex, and he was on his feet again.

'What are you doing? You're going _back_?'

I didn't answer, just jumped.

Keish's house was silent, like a grave. The only light was coming from the microwave and the oven clocks.

'Keish?' I called out, nervous about what I might find. I really didn't want to walk into another trap. I met a scared kid at Tommy's house, but what if it was one of the adults here?

'Keish? Are you there?'

'Jake?'

I could hear her voice echoing, and moved towards the bathroom, looking in every direction as I went. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't ambushed.

'Keish, it's me, it's Jake. Are you okay?'

I heard a sob, and stopped outside the closed bathroom door. I tried the door handle. Locked. 'Keish, I need you to open the door, so I can help you.'

'Jake, it-its coming back,' I heard her voice, sort of choked up in sobs, 'It's all back, now.'

'Keish, it's okay. Just open the door, and I'll get you out of here.'

'Tommy called me,' she sobbed, and I heard a shaky gasp, 'She said she was hiding in her yard, that she heard screams at your place, then some guys came in. Is she okay?'

I rested my head on the door. I wanted to tell her it was okay. I wanted to wrap her in my arms, and just get away from this mess. But I didn't know Keish's house that well. I couldn't just jump into the bathroom, no matter what she was doing.

_It's coming back_.

Her words echoed in my mind, and I jerked my head back. 'Keish, have you got the razors again?'

She gasped, and there was a pause. 'Yeah. I... I had to let it out. I can't stop it inside, I have to stop it—'

'Keish, put the blade down or I'll break this door down!'

Yeah, we were all street kids from the wrong side of town. We all had our problems. Jason's folks died, which triggered his move here, and he never went home at night. Tommy's mother was in the best psychiatric hospital in the state, with no chance of getting better any time soon, and Alex's folks were always fighting, giving him anxiety issues.

Keish, however, had depression. And it was so bad that she had actually "let it out" by cutting herself. Not on her wrists, just making small nicks in the side of her calf, were it would bleed but wouldn't scar, in a spot where no one looked.

And she was at it again.

'Keish, just-just open the door, and we can talk about it, okay?'

'Is Tommy okay?'

Tommy was sort of Keish's life line. Tommy's mum had been in Keish's situation, but no one had tried to help her. Tommy had always listened, and been Keish's life support when she needed it.

Tommy wasn't here anymore.

'They took her away,' I stated softly. Keish's sobs increased, and I tried the door handle again, 'Keish, it's not safe for you here anymore. Just, unlock the door, so I can get you out of here.'

'I can't,' she stated.

'What?'

'I can't unlock the door.'

'Why not? Come on, you can talk to me, its okay.'

Keish had stopped sobbing, but she took a deep, shuddering breath. 'I can't unlock the door, cos the guy won't let me.'

_What?_

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	4. White Noise

**Wow... uhh... Reading back over this, it sounds kind of sadistic, and dark. Hmm...**

**Whatever happens to this, we'll see, but Jumper doesn;t belong to me. :P**

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**_White Noise_**

_Keish had stopped crying, but she took a deep, shuddering breath, 'I can't open the door, because he won't let me.'_

_What?_

I heard a high-pitched whining sound, like electricity being charged. I wheeled around as the shadow raised the baton – this one a short, stubbier type, more like a sawn-off shotgun – and fired it at me.

Three projectiles erupted from the gun, a cable stretched between them in a Y-shape. I didn't have time to move, as the set hit me, forcing me back, into the wall, pinning me there.

There was blinding pain, and I felt numbed. I heard another whine, and another set appeared, pinning my legs to the wall. I couldn't move, and my breathing was starting to get ragged.

The bathroom door opened, and the first guy, the one that had been at my place, emerged, holding Keish against him, a knife at her throat.

Keish had certainly been crying. There were tear stains on her cheeks, and she still looked like she was about to cry, but she was holding it together.

'You've been giving us the run-around tonight, Jake,' the guy grinned, and I shuddered. I realised, in that moment, that he was going to kill me. Well, if I was going to hell, I may as well give as much lip as I could.

'I'm surprised you could keep up,' I sneered, 'With that pot belly, I half expected you to give up.'

The guy – Daniels, I think – smirked, but his eyes were narrowed, filled with hate. Another current pulsed through the cables, and I couldn't help it; I yelled out. Keish whimpered, and, aside from the buzzing of electricity, and the whine of them loading their stupid guns, the only sound was me, groaning each time the current pulsed through.

'What do you want?' Keish cried suddenly, and Daniels glanced down at her, 'What do you want from us?'

Daniels smiled coldly, addressing me. 'You're wrong, all wrong. No one should be able to teleport. You're a freak of nature, Jake, and it's our job to correct it.'

He practically threw Keish against the wall, tossing her aside like a rag doll. I gritted my teeth, forgetting for a moment that I was pinned by the stupid cable things. I tried to lash out with my foot, but it didn't work.

The guy moved quickly; he was in front of me in an instant, with something that looked like a cattle prod in one hand. He pressed it into my neck, and pressed a button.

White, hot, burning electricity coursed through my veins. Someone was screaming, but I didn't really have much idea of what was going on, just that I was in pain. I was sure I was going to die, and, as I twisted, I wanted to collapse. But the Y-cables supported me, holding me up even as I went limp. Stars were exploding behind my eyelids, and I squeezed them shut tight, but it didn't change anything.

I was still screaming after it had stopped.

I was gasping for breath, and relying entirely on the cables to support me. I hadn't ever thought anyone could live through that much pain, but I was living proof.

'Still got your smart lip?' Daniels asked. I raised my head weakly, and looked up at him. This guy was responsible for the death of my parents. He was the reason Tommy was gone, and Alyss was dead. And he was probably going to kill Keish, too, now that she'd seen this.

Not to mention Mr. Morris, Alex's parents, and maybe even Keish's dad. I didn't want to think about Jasonb, just hoped he wasn't at home, as usual.

'Fuck you,' I whispered. Daniels smirked again, and pressed the cattle prod into the base of my skull. I felt the forks dig in.

'I think we can up the voltage, kid, don't you?' his voice was cold, hard, 'You should really learn to respect your elders.'

White hot fire burst inside my head, and I realised I was screaming again, writhing around despite the cables. They were still pulsing, but it was nothing, compared to the fire that came from the base of my skull.

I don't know how long the second one lasted, just that it was longer than the first. I went limp, almost lost consciousness, when he finally stopped. Christ! I was fifteen, and being electrocuted by some guy with a cattle prod, just because I was different to them.

I didn't have the strength to look up.

'Cut this crap down,' the guy stated, and I saw his feet turn away, 'Load him up. We'll play with it later.'

'What about the girl?'

There was a pause. 'Kill her.'

'_No!_' I struggled desperately against the cables, but it didn't do anything. Daniels just noticed, and he smiled cruelly.

'Actually, hold her still,' he stated. I watched in horror, as one of the other two guys grabbed her, holding her still. Keish looked terrified, but her hands were doing something that only I could see.

The blast knocked Daniels off his feet, and he flew back into the bathroom. I heard the glass shower door shatter, and everyone else was moving.

But Keish knew how to fight, and she now had a weapon. She shot at another one of the guys, then grabbed his knife and stabbed the third. The fourth hesitated, before backing off.

'Are you okay?' she asked, turning to me once the fourth guy had taken off.

'Thousands of volts coursing through your system,' I croaked, 'Would you be okay after that?'

Keish smiled sadly, reaching for the clips holding me in place. 'I'm so sorry,' she whispered, reaching up.

'Let's worry about apologies later. Just get me down.'

Keish unclipped the top set, then the bottom set, and I collapsed in a heap. My legs didn't seem to want to work any more. Not surprising, really.

'Jake? D'you think you can get us out of here?'

I felt weak, and dizzy. I didn't think I was able to, but I nodded, my mouth dry. 'I can try.'

I took her arm and tried to jump, but all it did was start one hell of a stabbing headache and a slight flicker of scenery.

'Can't jump, can you?'

I looked up at Daniels as he stood over us. Keish's hand tightened around mine as he pulled out his knife.

'But, you...'

'I've been dealing with obnoxious brats like you for years, kid,' he crouched down, and stuck his face right in close to mine, 'I've learned to protect myself.'

I pressed myself back against the wall, Keish right beside me.

Daniels still had his face right in mine. 'Boo!'

I don't know why. I flinched, back to the forest, the instant he said it. I was still on the ground, covered in sweat, and gasping for breath. It took me a moment to realise I was alone.

I'd left Keish behind.

I panicked, and jumped back to her house, landing in the kitchen. 'Keish!'

No reply.

I felt a strong sense of déjà vu as I walked slowly through the house. I stopped when I reached the hallway.

The Paladins were gone, and there wasn't any sign of Daniels, just his cattle prod.

And blood.

I let out some sort of cry as I fell to my knees beside Keish. Her eyes were still open, the eyes looking around, half-terrified.

'Jake...'

I had her in my arms, resting her on my knee. It added to the blood already on my clothes, but I didn't notice. Didn't really care.

'Jake...'

'Don't talk,' I whispered. My eyes were burning, and I saw a tear rolling across her cheek. No matter where I took her, they wouldn't be able to do anything. It was already too late.

'Keish,' I didn't know what to say. It was my fault that this had happened. If I hadn't taken off, she'd be fine. 'I'm so sorry,'

My throat was tight, and my eyes were starting to tear. I screwed them up so I didn't let the tears fall. It was just me, a fifteen-year-old kid, trying to be tough. Like I'd always thought I was.

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**Is it just me, or was that a bit creepy? Maybe I have some issues...**

**Meh... Reviews! Reviews!**


	5. Liar Liar

**A/N:** Sorry if this is gonna get confusing. There will be flashes to the present, also from Jake's P.O.V. These will be in present tense, like this chapter, and they all mainly centre around the kid (Tyler), Jake, and his partner in crime.

**Sorry it's been so long since last chapter. We were dragged off on a camping trip for the entire two weeks of schoolholidays, then I was _really_ sick. Trust me, you don't want to know.**

**Anyway, here it is! Next chapter! (In the present)**

**Set before the call to Roland is made.**

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My breathing is coming in ragged gasps. My eyes snap open, and I'm staring at the ceiling of the cave we live in. I sit up slowly, rubbing the back of my hand across my eyes, and look around. Its amazing, really, that two years oin, I still dream about them. And not just them, but all the ones since then. How many? More than ten, more than fifty. Maybe more than one hundred. Who knows?

The kid is curled up in the corner, his eyes closed as he leans against the wall. He looks like he's sleeping, but he's still pale with fear, and his breathing isn't deep and even. He's awake, but he's pretending to be asleep. Probably wishing it was all a dream.

I get up off the couch and walk towards him slowly. I see that he seems to stop breathing for a moment, afraid, then resumes. Scared shitless. Well, I was, too, when people showed up at my place when I was younger. Only they killed my parents, and tried to kill me. We hurt the mother, and grabbed the kid before he could get on the phone to his father.

'Hey,' I poke the kid gently in the shoulder, crouching down beside him. 'I know you're awake.'

He opens his eyes and looks at me, frightened. I feel sorry for the kid, really. He's only ten or eleven, and already sucked up in this underworld of Jumpers and Paladins. But I knew an eight-year-old girl who was a part of it, too. She's dead, now.

'How did you know?'

'You looked tense. When you're asleep you never look so tense.' I smile slightly, and rest a hand on the kid's shoulder, 'You're valuable to us. I'm not gonna hurt you.'

'What about the other guy?' the kid indicates the misshapen lump in the futon bed in the corner. My partner-in-crime, 'The way he looks at me, i-its like...'

He trails off, unable to find words to describe it. I sigh. Better to tell him the truth. I settle on the ground next to him.

'He's a bit wild, that guy,' I tell him, 'And his family was killed when he was younger. He's lost a lot, so he just hates people like your dad as a general rule. And it didn't help when you tried to hit us both with that spike and cable set earlier, either.'

The kid manages to hide a grin, probably remembering how close it had been. The cut on my arm was still there, though.

'Dad said people like you were evil, that you would destroy the world eventually.'

I smirk. Of course _he_ would say that. _He_ is the one that wants us all dead. But it sort of annoys me, that this kid is letting himself be brainwashed. I turn to him, and point to a thin line that traces the bottom of my ribcage on my right side.

'Moscow, four months ago. Zus Mikael, now dead.'

To a long thick scar along the length of my arm. 'Denver, Colorado, USA; a year ago. Karen O'Reilly, dead.'

The stab scar on my shoulder, 'The night they came for me at my home, when I was fifteen. Same night they killed my parents. I didn't know their names, but I killed three of them. Same night they killed two of my closest friends, too.'

I turn around, so he can see the large diagonal scar on my back, running right shoulder to left hip. I hear him gasp in surprise, but I wait for him to ask.

'What was that one?' he whispers, reaching out. I turn back to face him before he can touch it.

'Six weeks after they killed my parents. I was fifteen, in Sydney.'

'Who did it?'

A part of me doesn't want to tell him, but another part of me wants to, wants to tell him so he'll know a portion of truth. I decide to tell him.

'That was your dad,' I say simply. The kid's eyes widen, and he shakes his head.

'That can't have been Dad,' he says, his voice growing louder, getting more frightened. 'Dad wouldn't attack a kid.'

It slips out before I can stop it. 'Your Dad did it, kid. Black guy, white hair, heavyset, dark coat. He killed two of my friends, right in front of me, and I couldn't do anything to help them, because he had me tied up with those cable things. He made me watch as he killed them, and then he came for me.'

I stand up and leave the kid curled up, staring at my back in horror. If Roland gets his son back, he'll have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

I can hear him starting to hyperventilate. I know that he's going to start shouting soon. I close my eyes and wait.

'You're a goddamn liar!' he yells, 'He wouldn't do that, not to some kid! He's not a murderer!'

I don't have the energy to try and calm the kid down, or shut him up. Let him rant. But I notice the bedcovers stirring in the corner.

'You just want to make Dad look like the bad guy, so that you can make me trust you! You're a _fucking_ Jumper! You're worth shit!'

It happens so fast that I don't even realise what's occurred. I see the covers on the bed fall flat onto the mattress, and he's there, grabbing the kid by the throat with one hand, lifting him up.

'You think we're liars, do you?' he asks. The kid has suddenly lost his resolve, and he's struggling feebly against the hand that's tightening around his throat. I see a glint of silver appear in his other hand, his free hand.

'_No_!' I yell, and jump to his side, grabbing the knife hand and pulling it away, 'We need him alive!'

'I dare you to say that to my face, you little piece of _shit_!' his face is so close to the kid's, and I can see how scared he is now. Terrific.

'I was nine when they came for me!' Griffin yells into the kid's face, 'I was sixteen when they killed what family I built for myself, and then they went for my girlfriend. Does this look like the face of a liar?'

'Griffin!'

He hurls the kid across the floor, releasing him. The kid tumbles limply, like a rag doll, but Griffin's there again, and he kicks the kid in the side.

'You _ever_ speak while you're here, and I'll rip your fucking throat out!'

'_Griffin!_'

I jump, and grab Griffin, jumping him to the other side of the lair and away from the kid. He's stronger than me, but even whn he's enraged he knows the difference between friend and foe. His eyes flash angrily at me, and I wonder just how dangerous he can be when he's really angry.

I jump back to the kid's side. He's still breathing, but he's coughing, too. I grab him gently around the middle, to try and roll him over, but he cries out in pain. Screams, actually. I knew grade nine first aid would come in handy sometime. I pull his shirt up, and run a hand over his ribs, then look up at Griffin.

'Fucking terrific. You broke one of his ribs, dickhead,'

'Good,' Griffin hasn't moved, and he still looks furious, 'Maybe he's learned something. Don't call me a liar.'

He stalks out, past us, and I see him kick sand up as he jumps just outside the entrance. I turn back to the kid.

'From now on, don't talk when he's around.'

The kid nods, gasping for breath, tears streaming across his face. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been there to stop Griffin.

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**Well? What do you think?**

**Next chapter promised when I get more reviews :)**


	6. Rescue Attempt

**Hey! I'm back! (I black ;D)**

**Yey, new chapters. Back to the past again.**

**Please forgive the terrible writing, these were done at 2am when I couldn't sleep and decided to finish these and get it all done. And once again, just in case you are all in doubt, I totally own every singe last infinitesimal right to Jumper...in my imagination.**

**

* * *

**I took Keish back to the forest. Alex rushed forward when he saw us, but he stopped when he saw the blood. I don't blame him. If I hadn't seen so much of it that night, I probably would have stopped in horror, too.

I guess, sometimes you just get desensitised to that sort of stuff.

'No,'

Alex sank to his knees on the other side of the clearing, still watching Keish's limp form.

She was gone. Dead. She would never smile again, never laugh, never think, or see, or speak. She would never get her license, never have a few drinks at a bar, never go to the races. There was so much she would miss out on.

And it was my fault.

_Boys don't cry._

I knew, at that moment, that it was a lie. Boys _did_ cry. Boys cried, because they were human, too.

I held Keish close, letting the tears come. Alex just sat there, staring dumbly, watching.

I wanted to scream, to rage and hit everything, lash out the same way I'd lashed out when I'd first jumped here. But I still had to find one more.

'Alex,' My voice was hoarse, as if I'd been yelling and screaming too much. It was probably true, though. I tried to forget the pain from the prod, but pain like that... I knew, even then, that it wasn't going to leave me. It left a scar inside, and scars rarely heal properly.

Alex didn't need me to say it, though. He stood up, and crossed to where I knelt, taking Keish's weight.

'I have to find Jase,' I told him, and he looked up, met my eyes, 'I have to... I have to find him before they do.'

'What happened?'

I wanted to tell him, but my throat closed up. I shook my head. 'I'll tell you later.'

I stood up, and pictured the park. Jase was always at the park, no matter what time of night it was. He never went home. He was a true street kid.

It was some kid at school who had called us the Street Rats. They had been aiming to annoy us, but we turned it into a joke, and the name stuck. We were described as street kids, all with our separate problems, and we made up for the lack of family by sticking close together. We were like brothers and sisters, so close you could hardly fit a knife between us.

And it had all changed in one night. Keish was dead, Tommy was missing. Jason could be hurt, or worse.

I jumped to the park, and looked around. He would be out on the field, looking up at the sky. He loved his stars, knew them really well.

I recognised the figure easily; a tall fifteen-year-old in the middle of the field, laying down on his back in the grass.

I also spotted the dark figures crossing the field, almost silently, unseen by Jason.

'_No!_'

I jumped to Jason's side as the Paladins began running forwards, towards us. I had his arm in a flash, but it wasn't fast enough.

One of them had a shot off, the Y-cable flying towards me, and I threw myself flat to the ground as it passed overhead. Another guy fired a cable, though, and it caught my arm.

I yelled out as he slammed the stick into the ground, stamping on it to dig it in deeper. I turned to Jason.

'Run!'

Jason needed no encouragement. He wanted to help me, but he always did as we told him. It was probably a good thing that he was the youngest; he always followed our instructions, especially in a crisis.

But another Paladin appeared, grabbing Jason around the middle, and tackled him to the ground.

The ground underfoot was damp, which meant the soil had to be damp, too. I gritted my teeth, grabbing the cable, and yanked on it as hard as I could. The stock flew out of the ground, and I dived for it at the same time as another Paladin.

I felt my hand close around the stock, and I found a switch. Gritting my teeth in hope, I flicked it.

The current stopped, and the cable fell loose, winding quickly back into the stock.

I pointed it at the Paladin, and pressed a small red button.

I was almost jolted back by the force, as the cable flew out of the stock and wrapped around the Paladin's throat. He shuddered as the electrical current flowed into his body, before falling to the ground and laying still. I flipped the switch again, turning the current off, and the cable whiplashed back into the stock.

Someone tackled me around the knees, and I fell to the ground. I went to turn the cable thing on them, but... it was gone!

There, on the grass! I reached for it, but the Paladin had pinned me to the ground. I bucked, trying to throw them off, and, to my surprise, they toppled off to one side.

I scrambled forward in the grass and grabbed the cable thing, and turned to point it at my attacker. But I stopped.

He still looked terrified, and he scuttled backwards, away from me. I hesitated for a moment, and changed my mind. He was the same age as me. I couldn't do that.

'Luke!' the other guy called, and I spun around in the grass. Jason was struggling with the guy that had yelled out, but he wasn't doing too well. I wanted to use the cable thing, but there was a chance I would hit Jason. I couldn't take that chance.

The stock was still in my hand, though, as I scrambled to my feet and took the two or three steps towards them. As I went, I pulled the case off the reverse end of the stock, revealing a short, but efficient, blade.

Jason wasn't much of a fighter; the most fighting he usually did was when he and his cousin, dale, were disagreeing on something, and that was usually wrestling, without a weapon.

But the Paladin guy had a knife in his hand, and he was trying to get to Jason's throat.

My fist slammed into the side of the guy's head, and he rolled across the ground, off Jason. I grabbed Jason, but something wrapped around my middle, pulling me back.

'_Shit_!' I swung around, letting the blade connect with the cable, hoping it would cut through. No such luck, though, as the blade bounced off the cable. The current began, and I swore again.

I jumped, towards the kid, the blade still in hand.

The next moment, time seemed to freeze. It was nothing else, just us two. Me and the other kid. And it was that moment that I realised.

He was going to kill me. Even if he didn't do it himself, he would be the reason. It was me or him, literally. And I don't know why, or how, but something in me snapped. I wasn't going to die, not tonight. I wasn't ready.

I was close enough, all it took was a simple movement.

He stared at me, the dark green eyes widening in horror as he realised what had happened. His mouth was open, sort of partway, and I heard his breathing catch in his throat, gagging slightly. His face paled as the blood drained from it, and the eyes sort of... You know how people's eyes sort of sparkle, with light or life, or glitter with _something_? Well, his stopped glittering. They were dull, and staring, almost sad.

'I'm sorry,' I whispered, as he fell forwards. I caught him, and lay him on the ground.

But I didn't have time to mourn for him.

'Jake!'

I wheeled around, turning to see the other Paladin back to grappling with Jason. I ran forwards, jumping the interval, and crashed into the Paladin.

I didn't mean to, really, I hadn't. But I still had the blade in my hand, and as I tackled, it went into the guy's side, between the ribs. Everything that happened next was a blur of arms, legs, clothes, and instinctive movements.

I reeled back as I realised what had happened. The Paladin lay, dead, on the ground, a huge gash torn from his right side, between his ribs, to his left hip. Blood poured everywhere, soaking the guy's jacket, the grass...

And my hands.

'Jake,'

The cry was more of a whimper, a plea for help. I shook myself out of my daze, and wheeled around to look at Jason.

'No. Christ, _no!_' I dived to Jason's side, 'Jason! _Shit!_ Shit, shit, shit!'

More blood. Fading eyes, pale skin.

It was hard to tell where the wound was – it was everywhere – but it was on his right side, just below the rib cage, right where the liver was supposed to be.

I grabbed Jason's shoulders, and squeezed my eyes shut. I didn't know where I was going, just thought of help and a doctor.

There was a crashing sound, and I opened my eyes, looking around. Oh, uh...whoops.

I had sort of destroyed the emergency ward of some hospital, it seemed. Everything around me was white, too white. I looked down, and saw the blood, a deep shade of red, pooling on the ground around my knees. It was too dark, too conspicuous, against the white.

People were rushing at me from all directions, people all dressed in white, or light, light blue. But no one dressed in red, or black. No one else to stand out against the white, no one like me, and Jason and the blood.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and winced. More of the people in white appeared, and two of them lifted Jason from my arms, lay him gently on a bed. There was suddenly a face, in my field of vision; a woman's face, full of concern, and the lips were moving but no sound seemed to come out, nothing except a sort of mumble. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my head. What was wrong with me?

Closing my eyes was a bad idea. I saw the kid again, the empty, staring eyes, twisted into horror. I felt him fall against me. I saw the other guy, the Paladin wrestling Jason, felt the blade enter under his ribs, tear through flesh, felt the blood pour out onto me. And, even though I hadn't realised it, the first one, the one I'd hit with the cable, who had fallen to the ground, and stopped, deathly still...

Darkness fell as I slipped into unconsciousness.

**Yeah? Yeah? More reviews, to tell me how terrible this is?**

**Anyone?**


	7. Westmeade

**Still in the past :)**

**I own Jump-hahahahahahahahaha!**

****

**I wish.**

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White.

Everywhere.

Blinding, pure, absolute white.

I looked down at my hands; even they were white, the skin deathly pale. There was a tube of clear liquid pumping into my arm slowly, and I was dressed in a white patterned gown.

I wondered where I was, just briefly. The bright white ights hurt my eyes, and the place smelled like disinfectant.

Hospital. I was in a hospital.

Well, then, where was Mum? If I was sick, she never left my—

Oh.

Right.

Everything came rushing back in a blur of images. Mum, Dad, Mr. Morris, Alyss, Keish...

'Jason!'

I yelped as something tore at my side as I sat up, and fell back against the pillow again. Carefully, I ran my hand over the injury, a deep cut that wrapped around my side, going from my lower stomach to my back. Now that I could feel it, it felt like it was throbbing. My head seemed to spin, and I closed my eyes against the blinding lights.

The next thing I knew, someone was in my room. One of the junior nurses, probably around my age. She looked pretty, with long dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. She smiled at me when she realised I was watching.

'How are you feeling?' she asked, still smiling sympathetically. I looked up at her, realising that she was dressed in a light blue patterned shirt. Her name tag read "Elisa Vuarez".

'Where am I?' I asked, feeling groggy. Elisa was busying herself with the drip that was connected to my arm, fiddling with the digital display.

'You're in Westmeade Children's Hospital,' she stated, 'You've been out for about fourteen hours. It was a bit of a shock when you showed up last night. I was leaving, saw it happen. Your friend's okay, too, just a bit shaken. He lost a lot of blood, but the doctors were able to patch him up. Guess that's what you get for fighting, eh?'

She seemed to have a cheerful manner, and she kept doing things while she spoke. She wrapped a thick band thing around my arm, and switched on a small machine, which I realised would take my blood pressure.

'And then there was stuff all over the news this morning, about a group of murders in the same street. Three bodies were actually left out in the park, and four houses were hit. One of the people said they heard screams coming from one of the houses, but they ignored it and went back to sleep. So much for "Love thy neighbour," eh? Wow, your blood pressure's really high; how are you feeling?'

'Not too good, actually,' I admitted, and Elise frowned, her forehead creasing in concern, 'I think I just need some more rest.'

'Yeah, Elise, let the poor kid rest,' a second nurse stated from the doorway. This one looked about sixteen, with long red hair and sharp green eyes that were focused on me. She had a slight smile playing around her mouth, but her eyes seemed cold and hard, uncaring.

'Elise, Dr Warren wants you up at MRI. I'll take over, if you want.'

'Oh,' Elise smiled at me, then started for the door. The other nurse moved so that Elise could slide past, before slipping into the room. She rested a hand on the doorhandle, then closed the door quietly.

'Daniels is just about ready to rip you limb from limb,' she stated, turning back to me. The smile had appeared, but it was nothing like Elise's; it was cold and calculating, and warned of danger.

I struggled to sit up in bed as she crossed the room. She pressed a hand against my shoulder, forcing me to lay down again.

'You'll never heal if you keep moving around like that,' she stated, 'And if you're not cleared to be up and about, there's no chance in hell that you'll be able to get Jason out of here.'

'What are you talking about?' I asked, knowing full well what she was talking about. They'd traced me all the way here?

'Jason, when he woke up, was hysterical. He said that guys attacked him when he was in the park before you rushed to his defence. Said there was a fight, and next thing he knew, he woke up seven hours later in Westmeade, Sydney. Not hard for someone like Doctor Jensen to figure out. He's your doctor, by the way.'

I stared at her as she undid the blood pressure strap and stowed the machine away. Jason had told them all that? Then…

'I'm not going to hurt you, Jake,' the girl stated, 'I'm actually trying to buy you some time, believe it or not.'

'But…aren't you one of those…' I tried to remember the word the kid had used last night. The nurse arched an eyebrow.

'Paladins?' she offered, and I nodded. She pulled a chair up to the bedside and slumped in it. 'I'm different.'

I noticed the cylindrical shape hidden under her shirt, tucked into her waistband. 'Yeah, right,'

She noticed where I was looking, and reached for it. It was the long, thin whipcord version, the one that had the blade at the opposite end. I tensed when she grabbed it, but she tossed it to the furthest corner of the room.

'You might be injured,' she stated, 'But you can still jump. If it comes to a confrontation, you'll be able to jump three times before I get to the tether. If what Daniels told me is true, of course.'

'I don't trust you,' I stated, and she shrugged.

'I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm just asking you to get the hell out of here.'

I frowned. 'Why?'

'Uhh… You really need me to answer that for you?' she asked, arching an eyebrow again, 'Doctor Jensen is an ally of mine, but he's also working for the Paladins. He called me first, when he found out about you boys. But I'll bet you anything he called Daniels about two hours later. And after you killed his brother, Daniels is out for some serious blood.'

'I got the feeling he was already out for blood,' I commented drily. The girl smirked.

'Most Paladins are. That's why they're so damn scary,'

'But not you?'

She shook her head, 'I have my own reasons, which I might tell you if I'm convinced you could keep it secret. Which I'm not.'

I nodded. That made sense. I didn't trust her, she didn't trust me. What a great foundation for an alliance.

'Anyway,' the girl stood up and started for the door, collecting her cable on the way 'Jensen has agreed to let you go in two hours, if you rest. Your friend, Jason, he's had the situation explained to him, and he's being moved to a more secure area. But if Daniels himself shows, I can't do much for you or Jason.'

'I thought he'd already have made it here,' I stated thoughtfully. The girl smirked as she opened the door.

'Air traffic delay, and some serious traffic problems on all the highways,' she grinned at me slyly, 'I'm a Paladin; I have friends in high places.'

She slipped out before I had a chance to say anything else, and she closed the door gently behind herself.

More than once, I was tempted to jump back to the forest, where Alex was.

But something about the way the girl had told me to wait made me stay. I wanted to see Jason, though.

I had woken up at two fourteen. It was five past four when the doctor finally came in.

'Well, how are we feeling?' he asked brightly. I grimaced, and he chuckled. 'Can't wait to leave? Well, in a minute. Gotta warn you, though, once you jump out of here, you won't be able to return, unless you walk from a few blocks away, or catch a train or bus.'

'Why?' I asked, sitting up in the bed. My side still hurt, but it was bearable. Jensen looked at me critically.

'Paladins can sense you jump,' he stated, as if this was basic knowledge, like the sun setting in the west. I stared at him.

'Paladins can _sense_ me jump?'

'Not just you,' he set the clipboard on the small table, 'Any Jumper. They can sense when you land, if it's within a certain distance. Radar is probably the best I've met – she can sense up to fifty kilometres away. Most can only sense up to five, absolute maximum. Some of the stronger ones can sense up to twenty, but I've never met one stronger than fifty.'

'So…' I did some quick maths, 'If I wanted to come back, I'd have to land at Bondi to be on the safe side?'

'Then train or bus from there,' Jensen smiled, 'You're free to go, but I don't want you to be doing too much for at least three more days. If that knife injury had been three centimetres deeper, you'd be dead by now. And check in on Jason on your way pa—'

'Jake,'

The girl from before had appeared in the doorway, looking anxious and out of breath, as if she'd just sprinted the full length of the hospital.

'Jake, they're here.'

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	8. Pursuit

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**DNO Jumper or Radar X)**

* * *

I stared dumbly at the girl. She'd bought me sixteen hours, couldn't she have tried for another ten minutes?

'Jason,' I realised, but the girl was crossing the room, and had grabbed my arm. She was holding my arm tightly, and I realised that I couldn't jump. What was wrong with me?

'They think he's dead,' she stated, pulling me towards the door, 'If you jump to his side now, they'll follow you. Thanks, Alec,' she tossed back over her shoulder at the doctor, who looked worried. She pulled me along the corridor, glancing into rooms as we passed, 'If you jump away, they won't pick it, but that means you'll never be able to jump back here again. In here,'

She shoved me into a ward, and led me towards the bathroom. I realised she was carrying a medium-sized backpack.

'Everything in the bag is for you. Use it to get out of the country. Jason is on the third floor, room twelve. Take the stairs. And Jake,' she propelled me into the bathroom, then pulled the door almost closed, 'I can only give you ten minutes.'

She closed the door with a snap. I stared after her for a moment, then shook my head. She'd handed me the backpack, and I unzipped it. I saw a few types of clothes, and grabbed out the first things that I felt under my hands.

Jeans

Black t-shirt

Socks balled up inside a pair of sneakers, plus a pair of briefs. I wasn't really a briefs person, but it wasn't as though I could be picky.

'Where is he?'

I froze as I heard the man's voice outside the door. Something scraped against the lino, and I heard the girl's voice.

'I'm in the middle of a shif—'

'You're going to show me where he is, understood?'

I heard someone wince, and then a tentative tap on the door.

'Are alright in there, Michael?'

I made my voice sound like a little kid's. 'Yeah, I'm 'kay,'

'I have to go, Michael, so I want you to go straight back to your bed once you're finished.'

''kay,'

'You get stuck babysitting kids?' I heard the man's voice fading away. I barely caught the girl's response.

Ten minutes. That was all I had. At least I still had my watch. I set the countdown for ten minutes, then made sure there were no footsteps outside before opening the door.

I slung the bag over my shoulder, and ran a hand through my hair, trying to spike it up. I tried to walk like a normal teenager, but every time I stepped forward with my right foot, my side ached. I'd have to be careful.

She'd said take the stairs. I pressed on the handle for the fire door, and started up the stairs. I noticed the large "2" painted on the wall, and realised I'd only have to go up one flight.

I pulled the door to level three open, and walked casually along the corridor, looking at the room numbers. I hoped that I looked like a visitor, otherwise there'd be trouble. Serious trouble.

Twelve. I wrenched the door to the room open, and stopped.

'Jake!'

Jason struggled to sit up, wincing with the effort, and fell back against the pillows.

'Hey, are you okay?'

I closed the door as I moved into the room. Jason's wallet and stuff were sitting on one of the chairs, and the TV was on, showing an afternoon kids' show.

'No, I'm _not_ okay,' Jason stated, 'I've been stabbed, and somehow ended up in Sydney _instantly_, and that nurse said there's people that might come after me. How do you think you'd be taking all that in?'

Yeah. He wasn't doing too good. I looked at my watch.

_8:02_

'Look,' I glanced at the closed door, 'I can't stay long, okay? There are people after me, and that's why they went for you—'

'Dale said he's coming, we can go off somewhere and hide,'

'I can't hide with you,' I stated, 'I have to go alone. That's why I'm here.'

Jason regarded me carefully, then looked at his sheets. 'You came to say goodbye,'

'Yeah,'

'D'you think I'll see you again?'

I shrugged, 'Maybe. Who knows?'

I wanted to say something else, but what else was there to say?

_7:28_

I couldn't say anything else. I didn't have enough time to tell him the full story.

'See ya 'round,' I managed a grin, even though I felt like yelling and screaming and hitting some more trees. I turned, started for the door—

'Is it true? Tommy's dad, Alyss, Alex's folks...?'

I paused, hand on the doorknob. 'yeah,' I felt a lump rise in my throat.

'What's happened to Tommy and Alex? And Keish?'

'Alex is...somewhere safe,' or at least, I hoped so, 'And Tommy is... I don't know.'

'And Keisha?'

I had to tell him. I wanted to leave, but he had to know.

I owed him that much.

'Dead,'

I was gone before he could say anything else, the door closing behind me.

Saying it aloud hurt more than seeing it. Saying it out loud had made it seem more real.

'Keisha...'

I let her name escape, like a sigh, as I leaned against the wall. I had to get back to Alex, too.

I headed for the elevator, pressed the call button. I waited for it, watching the numbers light up as it passed each floor, ignoring the high-pitched whine behind me. Probably someone firing up some medical equipment.

It wasn't.

I don't know how I knew, just that I knew. I dived to my left as the Y-cable passed me, feeling the stitches in my side pulling dangerously. So much for resting.

The Paladins, two younger guys, were sprinting towards me. I heard a _ping_ and the elevator doors opened. I dived into them, and hit the 'door close' button, before punching the "G". I heard a thump on the other side of the doors as another of the Y-cable things hit the doors, and I instinctively ducked. The elevator was empty, and it moved slowly downwards. I could just imagine the two guys sprinting down the fire stairs.

The elevator was moving at a crawling pace, which meant the paladins would be there before me. I was sure that when the doors opened, I would see them aiming their cable things at me, and then I'd be dead.

I had to do something.

_5:14_

I looked up at the ceiling. Every elevator was fitted with them, so...

I used the handrail to climb up and punch the hatch. It skinned my already skinned knuckles, but the hatch gave way, and I climbed out on top of the elevator, pulling my legs out.

The inside of an elevator shaft is almost completely black, with steel grey everywhere that isn't cast in shadow. It stank of grease, but if I wanted to survive, it would have to do. I slammed the hatch shut, as the elevator groaned to a stop. I heard the _ping_ outside the doors, and saw a slit of light appear at one edge as the doors opened. I heard he two guys charging into the elevator, but they stopped.

Silence,

It wouldn't take them long to find the hatch, and they'd figure it out easily. I looked across the bay, and saw the other elevator.

Places like this have at least two elevators in a row, sometimes three. The hospital had three.

I was on the right-hand elevator, and the other one was the far left elevator. The middle elevator was somewhere else completely, but that wasn't a problem. I was a Jumper.

I waited until I heard the other elevator doors beginning to close. At the same time, I could hear the two paladins – or was there more now? – inside my elevator. I heard someone tap on the hatch, but the other elevator had started moving.

I jumped.

Not literally. I jumped, teleporting myself to the other elevator roof. As it moved up, much faster than mine had, I heard the paladins shout, and the hatch was forced open.

'On the moving one!' someone yelled, and I made sure I was kept out of sight.

The hatch on this elevator had a handle on the outside, and I grabbed it, pulling the hatch open. I didn't even look before I dropped into the elevator.

A nurse screamed, and someone yelled, but the elevator stopped. I looked at the illuminated number in the split second before the doors opened: 3. I was back where I'd started.

I pulled the hatch closed and charged out of the elevator, pushing someone aside. I could feel the stitches tugging at my side, but I ignored them.

I barged straight into Jason's room without even looking.

And stopped.

'Nice of you to join us,' Daniels, the guy from the night before, leered at me. He was pressing a knife against Jason's throat, and Jason was staring at me, terrified.

The girl that had helped me was also there, in a corner. Her wrist looked bruised, but she made no attempt to hide it. She was holding the cable thing at her side, but her thumb was on the switch. All she'd have to do is aim.

'How's Keisha?' Daniels asked, sneering. I was tempted to hit him.

'Jake,' Jason's eyes were wide, and the colour had drained from his face. He looked terrified, but he was trying to hold it together.

'I'll get you out of here,' I told him. I was about to say 'Promise,' but I managed to stop myself in time. I probably wouldn't be able to keep that promise.

'Yeah, doubt it, Jake,' Daniels smirked, lifting the shorter Y-cable launcher and aiming it at me, 'This might sting a little.'

I jumped as soon as I heard the thing go off, and the spikes tore into the wall behind where I'd been standing. I felt something wrap around my ankle, and it pulled tight, dragging my feet out from under me. I landed on my stomach, and yelled out as I felt one of the stitches tear. Daniels simply laughed.

'If you're going to kill him, just do it quick,' the girl stated.

'Where's the fun in that?' I heard Daniels reply above me. His shoe caught me under my sore side, and rolled me over. I couldn't help letting the groan slip out, and this seemed to please Daniels.

'You're a total sadist, you know that?'

'Shut up, Radar,' Daniels snapped, 'If it makes you so upset, leave. I can finish this myself.'

'I doubt that,' I managed to gasp. He dug his shoe into my wound further, and I twisted, unable to control myself.

'Feel _good_?' he bent down and put his face right into mine. I did the only thing I could think to do.

I spat at him.

Daniels reeled back, and I found a sudden burst of energy. Despite the injury, I managed to spin around, and kick the girl, Radar, in the legs, hooking in behind her knee. She fell easily, and the cable launcher fell from her hand, clattering on the ground. I managed to scoop it up, rolling across the ground, and released the cord from around my ankles. I aimed it at Daniels.

He had already moved, bu I managed to slide the casing off the knife end, and slashed at him. Until I could get on my feet, I was a sitting duck.

I heard the door open, and caught a glimpse of the two younger guys as they entered, weapons drawn. I rolled over, kicking out with my legs, and felt them connect with someone's stomach. That person grunted, and fell, only to be replaced by another person.

I kept rolling, getting to my feet. One of them was moving towards Jason, who had managed to struggle up in his bed, and he was staring at me. Time seemed to slow, until it had almost stopped., and I looked at everything around me.

Daniels was getting to his feet, his knife in one hand. The girl, Radar, had gotten to her feet, but was keeping well back. She didn't have any weapons, didn't pose a threat. One of the younger guys, the bald one that looked like a punk rocker, was coming straight for me, a cable thing in one hand and a knife in the other. The other younger guy was heading for Jason, knife in hand.

Three against one. Even for me, that was a problem. And I was already injured.

So I had one option: run. Or, rather, jump.

I was beside Jason's bed in an instant, on the other side to the paladin. I grabbed Jason's arm, and ripped the canulet out with my other hand. I thought of the forest clearing, and felt the air change around me.

Alex scrambled to his feet, staring at us in surprise, and I felt Jason's hand squeeze mine.

There were no white walls, white sheets, or paladins. We'd made it.

'Yes!' I cried, punching the air. Alex was grinning, but he stopped as he looked at Jason. His face froze, in a look of horror. I turned.

'No,' I reached forward, as if I could stop it, 'No. No, no, _no_!'

Jason stared at me, the knife buried in his chest. He seemed to teeter for a moment, then fell forwards, going limp. I caught him,jumping without even thinking about it, and laid him on the ground carefully, gently.

'Guess you were too slow,' Jason mumbled, and he managed a smile, 'See ya 'round, eh?'

Alex was by my side, but we both knew there was nothing we could do. I forced a smile.

'Yeah. See ya 'round.'

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